The present invention relates to construction vehicles, and more particularly to systems for measuring material properties used with construction vehicles.
Certain construction vehicles, such as pavers and compactors, are used to form mats of asphalt, concrete or similar materials for such applications as roadways, airport runways, parking lots, etc. The finished material mats are typically required to have certain properties (e.g., density) that have a measured value within a specified range, such as for the purpose of meeting state highway regulations. Often, it is necessary for vehicle operators to measure these material properties during the construction process, for example during compaction operations, in order to gauge their progress toward meeting these material requirements.
With presently known systems for measuring certain material properties, it is typically necessary to hold the sensor device(s) stationary upon or proximal to a portion of the material mat being evaluated. In most cases, the sensor is an independent unit or is mounted on its own frame or carrier, but certain sensing systems are mounted on a construction vehicle. When using such vehicle-mounted sensing systems, the vehicle must typically be stopped at a particular location on the mat for a period of time necessary to take accurate measurements of the material properties. Therefore, the construction process being performed by the vehicle, such as a compaction operation, must be interrupted for this period of time.
In view of the limitations of presently know sensing systems as discussed above, it would be desirable to have a sensing system for construction vehicles that can operate without the need to interrupt the construction process.